Brendan Flaherty

Brendan James Flaherty was born on January 14th, 1964 in Duluth, Minnesota and passed away surrounded by family on June 24th, 2021 at the age of 57 after a three year long battle with cancer. Brendan was larger than life and touched so many lives within the community in which he remained throughout his life. He leaves a legacy with the hundreds of players he coached over more than 25 years of coaching high school hockey. He also took great pride in the business he helped build from the ground up from 1999-2018, The Mars Lakeview Arena.

Through his time coaching, he led eight teams to the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament. He was also awarded the 3M Excellence In Coaching Award in 2006 and 2009 and the Minnesota Section Head Coach of the Year in 1996, 2005, and 2007. In 2018, Brendan was also awarded the James Padgett Memorial Award from the Minnesota Ice Arena Managers Association for The Achievement of Excellence in Ice Arena Management and Operations.

Brendan will be remembered by his passion, determination, love for his family, enthusiasm for hockey, and loyalty to all of his former players. His infectious laugh, hugs, handshakes, and pep talks will be missed most by his close family and friends.

Brendan is preceded in death by his beloved brother Bryan Flaherty and sister Brigid Flaherty. He is survived by his loving wife of 28 years, Carrie; son, Kasey Yoder (Anne Yoder); daughter, Morgan (Casey Follmer); granddaughter, Grace Yoder; parents Dillon and Alyce Flaherty; siblings, Terry (Patti) Flaherty, Tim (Susan) Flaherty, sister-in-law Betty Flaherty, Beth (Tony) Rush, Dillon Flaherty Jr., Sean (Mary) Flaherty, and Kieran (Mark Higgins) Flaherty; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, his closest friends, and former hockey players.

The family extends its thanks to Essentia Health Hospice for their care and compassion for Brendan and his wife, daughter, and son at the end of his life.

Visitation will be held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth, Minnesota on July 22nd at 10 a.m., with a funeral service at 11 a.m.. There will be a celebration of Brendan’s life directly following the service on July 22nd at the Greysolon Ballroom.

Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, 218-727-3555, please visit www.dfhduluth.com to sign the online guestbook.